नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम्। देवी सरस्वतीं व्यासं ततो जयमुदीरयेत्।।
Having saluted the Supreme Deity (Narayana) and the highest of all male beings (Nara) and also the Goddess of Learning (Sarasvati), Let us cry "success!"
जनमेजय उवाच एवं द्यूतजिताः पार्थाः कोपिताश्च दुरात्मभिः। धार्तराष्ट्र: सहामात्यैनिकृत्या द्विजसत्तम॥ श्राविता: परुषा वाचः सृजद्भिर्वैरमुत्तमम्। किमकुर्वत कौरव्य मम पूर्वपितामहाः॥
Janamejaya said : O best of Brahmanas, having been deceitfully defeated at dice by the sons of Dhritarashtra with their counsellors and having been provoked by the wicked-minded ones (the Kuru princes), who thus brought about a fearful hostility by addressing them in cruel words, what did the Kurus, my grandsires do?
कथं चैश्वर्यविभ्रष्टाः सहसा दुःखमेयुषः। वने विजहिरे पार्थाः शक्रप्रतिमतेजसः॥
How did the sons of Pritha (the Pandavas), equal to Shakra (Indra) in effulgence, thus suddenly robbed of their affluence and overwhelmed with misery, pass their days in the forest?
के वै तानन्ववर्तन्त प्राप्तान् व्यसनमुत्तमम्। किमाचाराः किमाहाराः क्व च वासो महात्मनाम्॥
Who are the men that followed them, (the Pandavas) that were plunged in great affliction. What was their conduct, what was their food and where did those illustrious ones live?
कथं च द्वादश समा वने तेषां महामुने। व्यतीयुर्ब्राह्मणश्रेष्ठ शूराणामरिघातिनाम्॥
O great Rishi, O best of the Brahmanas, how did the twelve years of those heroes, those slayers of foes, pass away in the forest?
कथं च राजपुत्री सा प्रवरा सर्वयोषिताम्। पतिव्रता महाभागा सततं सत्यवादिनी॥ वनवासमदुःखार्हा दारुणं प्रत्यपद्यत। एतदाचक्ष्व मे सर्वं विस्तरेण तपोधन॥
How did that foremost of all women, the royal princess (Draupadi), ever devoted to her husbands, greatly fortunate and truthful, undeserving of suffering misery, endure that painful exile in the forest? O great ascetic, tell me all this in detail.
श्रोतुमिच्छामि चरितं भूरिद्रविणतेजसाम्। कथ्यमानं त्वया विप्र परं कौतूहलं हि मे॥
O Brahmana, I desire to hear the history of those greatly effulgent heroes narrated by you. I am in great curiosity.
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवं द्यूतजिताः पार्थाः कोपिताश्च दुरात्मभिः। धार्तराष्ट्रैः सहामात्यैर्निर्ययुर्गजसाह्वयात्॥
Vaishampayana said : Having been thus defeated at dice and provoked by the wicked-minded sons of Dhritarashtra with their counsellors, the sons of Pritha (the Pandavas) set out from Hastinapur.
वर्धमानपुद्वारदभिनिष्क्रम्य पाण्डवाः। उदङ्मुखाः शस्त्रभृतः प्रययुः सह कृष्णया॥
Coming out through the Vardhamana gate of the city, the Pandavas with Krishna and with their arms went away in a northerly direction.
इन्द्रसेनादयश्चैव भृत्याः परि चतुर्दश। रथैरनुययुः शी।ः त्रिय आदाय सर्वशः॥
Indrasena and others, taking with them their fourteen servants with all their wives, followed them on their swift cars.
गतानेतान् विदित्वा तु पौराः शोकाभिपीडिताः। गर्हयन्तोऽसकृद् भीष्मविदुरद्रोणगौतमान्॥ ऊचुर्विगतसंत्रासाः समागम्य परस्परम्।
Having learnt that they had gone away, the citizens were overwhelmed with great grief; and having all met together, they began without fear to censure among themselves Bhishma, Drona, Vidura and the son of Gautama (Kripa).
पौरा ऊचुः नेदमस्ति कुलं सर्वं न वयं न च नो गृहाः॥ यत्र दुर्योधनः पापः सौबलेनाभिपालितः। कर्णदुःशासनाभ्यां च राज्यमेतच्चिकीर्षति॥
The citizens said : When the sinful Duryodhana, helped by the son of Subala (Shakuni), (Shakuni), Karna and Dushasana, aspires to this kingdom, our families, our homes, nay we ourselves are all gone.
न तत् कुलं न चाचारो न धर्मोऽर्थः कुतः सुखम्। यत्र पापसहायोऽयं पापो राज्यं चिकीर्षति॥
When this sinful man with the help of other sinful men aspires to the kingdom, our families, usages, virtue and prosperity are all doomed. How can there be happiness (where these are destroyed)?
दुर्योधनो गुरुद्वेषी त्यक्ताचारसुहृज्जनः। अर्थलुब्धोऽभिमानी च नीचः प्रकृतिनिघृणः॥
Duryodhana is malicious towards his superiors; he has abandoned all good conduct; he is covetous, vain, mean and by nature cruel.
नैयमस्ति मही कृत्स्ना यत्र दुर्योधनो नृपः। साधु गच्छामहे सर्वे यत्र गच्छन्ति पाण्डवाः॥
Where Duryodhana is the king, there the whole earth is doomed. Let us proceed there where the virtuous Pandavas are going.
सानुक्रोशा महात्मानो विजितेन्द्रियशत्रवः। श्रीमन्तः कीर्तिमन्तश्चधर्माचारपरायणाः॥
They are self-controlled, high-souled, victorious over foes, endued with modesty and renown and devoted to virtue.
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्त्वानुजग्मुस्ते पाण्डवांस्तान् समेत्य च। ऊचुः प्राञ्जलयः सर्वे कौन्तेयान् माद्रिनन्दनान्॥
Vaishampayana said : Having said this, they all went together after the Pandavas. With joined hands, they thus spoke to the sons of Kunti and Madri.
क्व गमिष्यथ भद्रं वस्त्यक्तवास्मान् दुःखभागिनः। वयमप्यनुयास्यामो यत्र यूयं गमिष्यथ॥
The citizens said : Be blessed. Where will you go leaving us (behind) who are in great grief? We shall go where you will go.
अधर्मेण जिताञ्छूवा युष्मांस्त्यक्तघृणैः परैः। उद्विग्नाः स्मो भृशं सर्वे नास्मान् हातुमिहार्हथ॥ भक्तानुरक्तान् सुहृदः सदा प्रियहिते रतान्। कुराजाधिष्ठिते राज्ये न विनश्येम सर्वशः॥
We have been greatly distressed in learning that you have been defeated with sinful means by the cruel enemies. You should not forsake us. Who are your devoted and loving friends and who are ever engaged in doing your good and seeking your welfare. We all do not desire to meet destruction by living in the kingdom of a bad king.
श्रूयतां चाभिधास्यामो गुणदोषान् नरर्षभाः। शुभाशुभाधिवासेन संसर्गः कुरुते यथा॥
O foremost of men, listen to the merits and demerits, as we indicate, that respectively arise from associating with what is good and what is bad.
वस्त्रमापस्तिलान् भूमिं गन्धो वासयते यथा। पुष्पाणामधिवासेन तथा संसर्गजा गुणाः॥
As cloth, water, sesame-seeds and ground are perfumed by their association with flowers, so qualities are derived from association.
मोहजालस्य योनिर्हि मूढेरेव समागमः। अहन्यहनिधर्मस्य योनिः साधुसमागमः॥
Association with the fools produces delusion, as daily association with the honest and good produces virtue.
तस्मात् प्राज्ञैश्च वृद्धैश्च सुस्वभावैस्तपस्विभिः। सद्भिश्च सह संसर्गः कार्यः शमपरायणैः॥
Therefore those who are virtuously inclined should associate with men who are wise, old, honest and pure in conduct and who are ascetics.
येषां त्रीण्यवदातानि विद्या योनिश्च कर्म च। ते सेव्यास्तैः समास्या हि शास्त्रेभ्योऽपि गरीयसी। निरारम्भा ह्यपि वयं पुण्यशीलेषु साधुषु। पुण्यमेवाप्नुयामेह पापं पापोपसेवनात्॥
Those whose triple possessions, namely knowledge, birth and acts, are pure, should be waited upon. To associate with them is superior to the study of the Shastras. Without performing any special virtuous act, we shall be able to reap religious merits by associating with the righteous. We shall (assuredly) get sin by serving the sinful (Duryodhana and others).
असतां दर्शनात् स्पर्शात् संजल्पाच्च सहासनात् धर्माचाराः प्रहीयन्ते सिद्ध्यन्ति च न मानवाः॥
The very sight and the touch of the sinful and conversation and association with them, cause diminution of virtue. Men (who act thus) never attain purity of soul.
बुद्धिश्च हीयते पुंसां नीचैः सह समागमात्। मध्यमैर्मध्यतां याति श्रेष्ठतां याति चोत्तमैः॥
Association with the mean and the low inakes one's understanding mean and low; association with the indifferent makes it indifferent and association with the good makes it good.
अनीचैर्नाप्यविषयैर्नाधर्मिष्ठैर्विशेषतः। ये गुणाः कीर्तिता लोकेधर्मकामार्थसम्भवाः। लोकाचारेषु सम्भूता वेदोक्ताः शिष्टसम्मताः॥ ते युष्मासु समस्ताश्च व्यस्ताश्चैवेह सद्गुणाः। इच्छामो गुणवन्मध्ये वस्तुं श्रेयोऽभिकाक्षिणः।।
All those attributes, which are spoken of in the world as the source of religious merit, worldly prosperity and sensual pleasure, which are highly regarded by men, extolled in the Vedas and approved by the good, exist in you separately and jointly. Desiring our own welfare, we wish to live among men who possess such attributes.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच धन्या वयं यदस्माकं स्नेहकारुण्ययन्त्रिताः। असतोऽपि गुणानाहुर्ब्राह्मणप्रमुखाः प्रजाः॥
Yudhishthira said: Blessed are we, since moved by affection and compassion, our subjects, headed by the Brahmanas, credit us with merits we do not possess.
तदहं भ्रातृसहितः सर्वान् विज्ञापयामि वः। नान्यथा तद्धि कर्तव्यमस्मत्स्नेहानुकम्पया॥
I with my brothers, would ask all of you to do one thing. For the sake of the love you bear for us; you should not act otherwise.
भीष्म पितामहो राजा विदुरो जननी च में। सुहृज्जनश्च प्रायो मे नगरे नागसाह्वये॥
Our grandfather Bhishma, the king (Dhritarashtra), Vidura, our mother (Kunti) and our other friends are all in Hastinapur.
ते त्वस्मद्धितकामार्थं पालनीयाः प्रयत्नतः। युष्माभिः सहिताः सर्वे शोकसंतापविह्वलाः॥
They are overwhelmed with sorrow and afflictions; if you want to please me, uniting all together, (go and) cherish them with care.
निवर्ततागता दूरं समागमनशापिताः। स्वजने न्यासभूते मे कार्या स्नेहान्विता मतिः॥
Grieved at my departure, you have come far away. Go back. heart be affectionately directed towards the relatives whom we leave behind as our pledges to you.
एतद्धि मम कार्याणां परमं हृदि संस्थितम्। कृता तेन तु तुष्टिर्मे सत्कारच भविष्यति॥
This is the one act on which my heart is set. If you do it, you will give me the greatest satisfaction and pay your best regards.
वैशम्पायन उवाच तथानुमन्त्रितास्तेनधर्मराजेन ताः प्रजाः। चक्रुरार्तस्वरं घोरं हा राजनिति संहताः॥
Vaishampayana said: Let your Having been thus exhorted by Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira), the subjects raised up all together a fearful wail, exclaiming “Alas, O king!”
गुणान् पार्थस्य संस्मृत्य दुःखार्ताः परमातुराः। अकामाः संन्यवर्तन्त समागम्याथ पाण्डवान्।॥
Afflicted and overwhelmed with grief, they unwillingly retraced their steps after asking leave of the Pandavas and remembering the virtues of Pritha's sons.
निवृत्तेषु तु पौरेषु स्थानास्थाय पाण्डवाः। आजग्मुर्जाह्नवीतीरे प्रमाणाख्यं महावटम्॥
At the departure of the citizens, the Pandavas ascended their cars and came to a great banian tree, named Prirnana, on the banks of the Ganges.
ते तं दिवसशेषेण वटं गत्वा तु पाण्डवाः। ऊषुस्तां रजनीं वीराः संस्पृश्य सलिलं शुचि॥
Coming to the banian tree at the close of the day, the heroic Pandavas became purified by touching the water. They then passed the night there.
उदकेनैव तां रात्रिमूषुस्ते दुःखकर्षिताः। अनुजग्मुश्च तत्रैतान् स्नेहात् केचिद् द्विजातयः॥ साग्नयोऽनग्नयश्चैव सशिष्यगणबान्धवाः। स तैः परिवृतो राजा शुशुभे ब्रह्मवादिभिः॥
Afflicted with grief, they passed that night, living on water only. Some Brahmanas, both those that maintained fire and those that did not, followed the Pandavas there for the love they bore for them. Surrounded by those Brahma-knowing men, the king (Yudhishthira) shone resplendent.
तेषां प्रादुष्कृताग्नीनां मुहूर्ते रम्यदारुणे। ब्रह्मघोषपुरस्कारः संजल्प: समजायत॥
That terrible evening hours became in a moinent delightful on account of those Brahmana's lighting their fire, chanting the Vedas and holding mutual conversations.
राजानं तु कुरुश्रेष्ठं ते हंसमधुरस्वराः। आश्वासयन्तो विप्राण्याः क्षपां सर्वां व्यनोदयन्॥
Those foremost of Brahmanas with their swan-like sweet voices spent the night in comforting that best of Kurus, the king (Yudhishthira). son